Multipane glazing unit



Aug. 12, 1969 A. ALGRAiN ET AL 3,460,303

MULTIPANE GLAZING UNIT Filed June 17, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 *V//xZV//x'/ 7//// I Q im Inveni-ors Andr Alga-air\ Grard Fabi-Y Aug. 12, 1969A. ALGRAIN E A 3 MULTIPANE GLAZING UNIT Filed June 17, 1966 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Inverfio-s: Ahah- Alg-ain Gra-d Fabi-y y 277 Aflam 5 53,460,303 MULTIPANE GLAZING UNIT Andr Algrain, Uccle, and Grard Fabry,Jumet, Belgium, assigors to Glaverbel S.A., Brussels, Belgium Filed June17, 1966, Ser. No. 558,449 Claims priority, application mxembourg, June29, 1965,

Int. Cl. B44f I/O; E06b 3/30, 3/66 U.S. Cl. 52-314 12 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to glazing units, and moreparticularly to decorative glazing units incorporating a leaded coloredwindow.

-A conventional leaded colored, or co-called stained glass window, is anassembly of panes of colored glass inserted in a lattice formed by leadbars welded to one another and formed with grooves into which the edgesof the panes are inserted. In large stained glass windows, some of thelead bars are duplicated by iron 'bars to impart greater rigidity to theassembly. The shape of the lattice and the colors of the panes can beskillfully combined to produce a geometrical pattern or a pattern offigures. For many centures, stained glass windows have been used for thedecoration of window openings, the art having reached its peak in the13th century, as many Gothic buildings `bear witness.

Multiple-sheet glazings have, of course, become widely used in recentdecades. They are formed by at least two sheets of glass or some othertransparent or translucent material having their margins joined, e.g.,soldered, together or to an intervening or frame member or members, toform a closed box. Such glazings have particular advantages includinggood heat and sound insulating properties.

Leaded colored windows, however, have not been employed inmultiple-sheet glazings because the substitution of one of the sheets ofsuch glazings by a leaded colored window would give rise to diicultiesin sealing the space between the glazings against ingress of moisture.Moreover, the ditferences in the thermal coeflicient of expansion ofleaded and unleaded glazing would cause thermal stresses to be set up inthe unit. In this connection, it is observed that panes of colored glassabsor'b solar heat more strongly than uncolored glass.

According to the present invention, however, a glazing unit comprisingtwo or more transparent or translucent sheets secured at theirperipheral portions to spacing means so as to form therewith a hollowclosed structure, and a leaded colored window connected by resilientmeans to one of said sheets in facing parallel relationship thereto, hasbeen prepared. By virtue of the resilient connection between the coloredwindow and one of the sheets of the hollow structure, the occurrence ofharmful stresses is thereby obviated.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providea multiple-sheet glazing unit incorporating a leaded colored windowwhereby the inherent disadvantages of previous assembles are eliminated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a glazingunit comprising two or more transparent or States Patent O Patented Aug.12, 1969 translucent sheets and a leaded colored window connected 'byresilient means to one of said sheets in facing parallel relationshipthereto.

Additional o'bjects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the following description when taken inconjuncton with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front View of a glazing unit according to the presentinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 3 to 6 show in section parts of further units according to thepresent invention.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View taken along line 7- 7 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 in FIGURE 7.

In the different figures, like elements are denoted by the samereference numerals.

The glazing unit shown by FIGURES 1 and 2 is formed by two glass sheets1, 2 connected together in spaced relationship by lead strips 3 disposedbetween their margins and soldered to tinned copper strips 4 whichadhere to the sheets 1,2. The sheets 1 and 2 and the strips 3 form aclosed box. A stained glass window 5 is formed by a number of panes ofcolored glass, 6, 7 assem-bled by lead bars 8. The window 5 is glued tothe sheet 2 by a thick resilient layer 9 of transparent adhesive such aspolyvinyl 'butyraL The layer 9 can deform slightly to compensate fordifierences in expansion as between the window 5 and the sheet 2. Thethickness of the adhesive layer 9 is selected in relation to thecharacteristics of the material used, so as satisfactorily to adsorbdiferences in expansion. For instance, the required thickness of thelayer 9 is greater in proportion as the panes 6, 7 are more intenselycolored and therefore liable to become more strongly heated by the sunsrays. A thickness of 1 mm. is generally adequate.

The lead bars 8 are T-shaped in cross section and have no flange on theside of the adhesive layer 9 so as to avoid reducing its thickness andresilience.

It is also advantageous to protect the adhesive layer 9 against theweather; more particularly moisture. Although the actual means used forsealing the glazing unit in a frame will provide protection, it ispreferable to use a sheet 2 which is larger than the window 5 and todispose a seal 9' against the edges of the window 5 and the laye-r 9.This seal can, for example, be formed by an Organic polysulphide.

In the embodiment according to FIGURES 1 and 2, the stained glasswindow, outside of the transparent sheets, can be seen without theinterposition of any other transparent sheet.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the colored glass window 5 is in thisembodiment glued to the inwardly facing surface 10 of sheet 2 so thatthe window lies in the interior 11 of the box. The window 5 is thereforeSatisfac- .torily protected against deterioration caused from sourcessuch as dust and weathering.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4, the glazing again comprisestwo sheets 1, 2 of glass attached to one another by lead strips 3 weldedto tinned copper strips 4. The stained glass window 5 is inserted in aframe 12 formed by aluminum U-channel pieces. The window 5 is attachedto the inner face 10 of the sheet 2 by means of connecting members 13glued to frame 12 on the one hand and to the surface 10 of the sheet 2on the other hand by layers 14 of resilient adhesive based, eg., on anOrganic polysulphide or silicone. Each of the members 13 (which in thiscase extend along all the margins of the window 5) is a rectangular tubefilled with a highly waterabsorbent agent, advantageously silica gel.The silica gel &460303 is in communication with the atmosphere in theinterier space 11 of the box via apertures 15 and keeps the atmospheredry and prevents water condensation inside the glazing unit.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4, the re silience of theconnection between the stained glass win dow and the box is dueprincipally to the presence of the adhesive layers 14. A greaterresilence can be achieved by using members 13 which are readilydeformable due to the resilence of the material of such members and/orto their geometric form. Plastic material can be used as a resilientmaterial for forming the members 13 and they may be of U-section forpromoting the required resilence of the connection.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE S, the stained glass window isinserted in a frame 12 and this frame is attached to the sheet 2 bychannel pieces 13' glued to frame 12 and sheet 2 by adhesive layers 14.In this embodiment, the connection is more resilient than in theembodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4 because the connecting pieces 13' aswell as the adhesive layers are resilient.

Referring to FIGURE 6, the glazing unit shown in this figure is formedby two sheets 1, 2 of glass connected together by lead strips 3 weldedto tinned copper strips 16, 17, similar to, but larger than, the strips4 in the previously described embodiments. The stained glass window 5 isforned by colored glass panes such as 6, 7 assembled by I-shaped leadbars 8. The window 5 is inserted in a U-shaped tinned mild steel frame12; the latter material is advantageously used, since it can readily besoldered to alloys having a lower melting point. The frame 12 can besoldered to the bars 8 extending to the marginal portions of the window5 to improve the stability of the' assembly.

Lead strips 19 are soldered to the web 20 of the frame 12 of the window5 and to the tinner copper strips 17. In this assembly, the resilence ofthe connection is provided by the strips 19 and these strips alsostifien the frame' 20 and thus further improve the dimensional stabilityof the window 5. U-shaped strips may be used at only two opposed marginsof the window 5, instead of forming a frame by such strips, the windowthen being connected to strips 17 by strips 19 disposed only at such twoopposed margins.

The only difference between the glazing unit shown in FIGURES 7 and 8and the unit illustrated in FIGURE 6 is the manner in which the stainedglass window 5 is attached to the surface of the sheet 2. In theembodiment according to FIGURES 7 and 8, the resilient connection isformed by a series of small lead pieces (only two of which, 21 and 21',are shown) soldered to the strips 17 and the flange 22 of the tinnedmild steel frame 12. The substitution of the spaced pieces such as 21,21' for strips 19 extending without interruption along the margins ofwindow 5 increases the resilence of the connection. Moweover, thesoldering of such pieces to a flange rather than to the web of the frameenables a window S of given dimensions to be Conveniently accommodatedin a unit of smaller over-all dimensions. In order to improve thedimensional stability of the stained glass window, some of the lead bars8 forming the window lattice are reinforced by steel stiffening members23 dis posed in at least one of the grooves of the I-shaped bars 8.

In all of the illustrated embodiments, the sheets 1, 2 are connectedtogether by lead strips 3 soldered to copper strips 4, but other methodof forming such connection can be utilized. A suitable alternative meanscomprises, for example, gluing a piece of angled section between themarginal portions of the sheets 1, 2. As a further alternative, aglazing unit according to the invention can comprise more than twosheets to improve heat or sound properties.

Advantageously, sheet 1 or 2 can consist of light-diffusing glass, ie,glass roughened by Chemical treatment or sand blasting. In that case theunit is installed so that the difiusing sheet is disposed on the sidefrom which the stained glass window is not to be viewed, for nstance,the outside of a building. Such a glass ensures a good distribution ofthe light teaching the stained glass window, which may be an advantagein some cases.

Light refiected from the' surface of the glazing may cause trouble incases in which the stained glass window is enclosed in the box-likestructure. Although the reflection can produce interesting effects insome cases, it can be considerably reduced by depositing one or morenonreflecting layers on at least one of the transparent glass sheets sothat all the qualities of the stained glass window can be appreciatedwithout interference. Highly heat-reflecting layers can also be used toreduce the extent to which the stained glass window is heated by the suns rays. 4

It can thus be seen that the transparent or translucent sheets, and thepanes of the leaded colored window may be made of glass. Although otherlight-transmitting materials may be used in the alternative, in thepreceding description of the invention the material employed has beenassumed to be glass and the leaded colored windows have been referred toas stained glass windows. It is to be recognized that alternativematerials can be advantageously employed.

In addition to the advantages of the invention already mentioned, thereis a further advantage that the resilient connection to some extent,depending on the way this connection is achieved, absorbs forces due tovi'bration, impact and other causes, to which the hollow structure maybe subjected and which would otherwise be more completely transmitted tothe stained glass window.

By way of example, the stained glass window may be attached by at leastone resilient layer of adhesive to one of the sheets forming a wall ofthe hollow structure. This is a very simple way of carrying out theinvention and has the further advantage of giving continuous support tothe stained glass window, the mechanical strength of which is relativelylow since it is formed with a lattice of lead bars which are easilycleformed.

The stained glass window may be disposed inside of the hollow structureor outside of it. In the latter case the stained glass window and formsa very satisfactory base for position of a transparent element betweenthe spectator and the window. On the other hand, if the stained glasswindow is disposed inside of the hollow structure, the decorativeelement of the -glazing is given better protection.

As an alternative to attachment of the stained glass window by at leastone adhesive layer extending over the whole area of such window, thewindow may be attached to one of the sheets forming a wall of thestructure by means of a resilient connecting member or members disposedbetween the marginal portions of the stained glass window and the wall.This arrangement permits a very resilient connection between the stainedglass window and the supporting sheet. Moreover, this feature permitseasier separation of the colored window from its support, which is veryuseful in case of accidental breakage of the glazing.

Advantageously, the stained glass window is inserted in a U-shapedchannel formng a frame to which said connecting member or members is orare connected. The connecting member or members can be attached eitherto the web or one of the flanges of the U-channel. The use of said frameimproves the dimensional stability of the stained glass window and formsa very satisfactory base for attaching the connecting member or members,but the direct connection of such member or members to the stained glasswindow is not excluded.

The connecting member or members may be made of metal and may besoldered to a frame of the stained glass window and to a metal layerdeposited on the surface of one of the sheets forming walls of the.hollow box-like structure. Alternatively, the connecting members may be&460303 glued to the frame of the stained glass window and a surface ofa sheet. Each of the above embodiments has particular advantages and oneor the other of them may be more suitable in a given instance, dependingon the materials used.

The use of U-shaped connecting members has the advantage that they havean inherent resilience and if the members are held in place by resilientadhesive layers, the resilience of the connection as a whole is greater.If suitably formed, the connecting members can hold quantities ofdehydrating agent. This is an advantage when the stained glass window islocated inside the hollow glazing unit because the dehydrating agent canabsorb small quantities of moisture which may be present in, or gainaccess to the interior of the unit. For this purpose the connectingmembers can very suitably be of tubular form With apertures by which theinterior of the tubes (containing the dehydrating agent) communicateswith the interior of the box.

One of the walls of the box can advantageously be formed by a sheet oflight-diffusing glass or an assembly of sheets containing alight-difiusing material such as glass fibers. This distributes thelight very unformly with consequent uniform illumination of the stainedglass window.

Preferably at least one wall of the box comprises a sheet which iscovered with a layer of material which reduces the reflection of lightand/or reflects heat radiation. It is of advantage to reduce reflectionof light from the surfaces of the glazing because the stained glasswindow can then be viewed more clearly and without interference. Such alayer can be formed by a material whose coeflicient of refraction issubstantially the geometrical mean between that of air and that of thematerial on which the layer is deposited. A nonrefiecting deposit canalso be built up by a number of layers. A number of layers can also beused to bring about heat reflection, and even to combine both effects byappropriate choice of the thickness of the layers. Reflection of heatradiation improves the temperature conditions in any premises in whichthe glazing may be used, and also reduces heating i of the stained glasswindow by the sun's rays.

As already mentioned, it is not essential to the invention to use glassfor the transparent or translucent sheets forming the box walls, or forthe leaded colored window. As an alternative, transparent plasticmaterials, for instance polyacrylic plastic materials, can also be used.However, glass has qualities which make it the preferable material forcarrying out the invention, i.e., it is very durable and stands up wellto weathering. Moreover, glasses can be produced in very many colorswhich retain their tints satisfactorily, unlike coloring agents ofplastic materials which are sensitive to various influences, moreparticularly ultraviolet radiation. All of these qualities of glass,therefore, combine to make it the most suitable material for theproduction and preservation of a work of art in the form of leadedcolored windows.

It will be understood that the above description of the presentinvention is susceptible to various modifications, changes, andadaptations and the same are intended to be comprehended within themeaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A glazing unit comprising, in combnaton: at least two panes eachconstituted by a light transmitting sheet and a connecting strippermanently attached to the periphery of the inner major surfacethereof; spacing means disposed between said panes and Secured to saidstrips thereof to form a hollow closed supporting structure with saidpanes; a leaded colored window; and resilient means connecting saidwindow to only one of said panes, in facing relationship thereto, saidresilient means being physically separate from said spacing means, so asto prevent the transmission of deformation forces between said spacingmeans and said window, and Contacting only the peripheral portion ofsaid window.

2. The'glazing unit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sheets is asheet of light-difusing glass.

3. The glazing unit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sheetscontains a light-diffusing material.

4. A glazing unit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sheets iscovered with a material which reduces light reflection.

5. A glazing unit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sheets iscovered with a layer of material which reflects heat radiation.

6. The glazing unit of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises atleast one resilient layer of adhesive.

7. The glazing unit of claim 1 wherein said resilient means connectingsaid window to one of said sheets comprises at least one interveningresilient connecting member.

8. The glazing unit of claim 7 wherein there are a plurality ofconnecting members.

9. An arrangement as defined in claim 8 wherein each said connectingmember is constituted by a strip of resilient metal.

10. An arrangement as defined in claim 9, further comprising a U-sectionframe enclosing the edge of said leaded colored window, wherein saidstrips of resilient metal are connected to said frame.

11. An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein said resilient meansfurther comprise a metal layer deposted on a surface of said one of saidsheets, and each said strip is soldered to said frame and to said metallayer.

12. An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein each of said strips isglued to said frame and to said one of said sheets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,194,731 3/ 1940 Winship 52-3082,336,544 12/ 1943 Hopfield 52--203 2,381,194 8/1945 Watkins 52-6192,419,400 4/1947 Haven 52-172 2,877,516 3/1959 Bobel 52-172 3,226,903 l/1966 Lillethun 52-172 2,99l,213 7/1961 Williams 52-308 FOREIGN PATENTS677,804 8/ 1952 Great Britain.

1,013,630 12/1965 Great Britain.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner J. L. RIDGILL. Assistant Examiner U.S.Cl. X.R. 52-308 616

